Footlight structure



`Iune-17, 1930. F. l.. DECKER 1,763,956

' FooTLIGHT STRUCTURE Filed May 7, 1928 Z5 l 23 Q Patented June 17, 1930 PATENT ori-fici;

FRANK L. DECKER, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS FOOTLIGHT Application filed May 7,

Heretofore, in the construction of footlight structures it has been the practice to build said structures of sheet metal with some form of hood or baliie to keep the light from reflecting into the audience, with the result, that in a short length of time due to the weakness of the sheet metal the structures soon became bent out of shape and presented a battered and unsightly appearance. To obviate some of the above features this invention has been devised to provide a cast-iron or steel housing for use inconnection with a footlight structure, said housing being provided with an ordinary tread plate which may be easily walked upon without fear of bending or getting out of shape, and furthermore, provides a protection for the lamps as well as a baliie so that the light will not be projected to points in front of the footlights. The tread plate arrangement also provides a suitable means whereby it is possible to have access to the interior of the wiring chamber to facilitate 5 making repairs or changes in the wiring system.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved footlight structure equipped with a tread plate and having the lamp sockets thereof arranged at an angle to permit lamps having a maximum end on candlepower to be mounted with or without refiectors and color mediums'.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved footlight structure having the lamp socket supporting plate .positioned at a predetermined angle to permit maximum. end on candle-power lamps to be used with the filaments of the top lamps to positioned above the top plane of the floor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved footlight structure lwith a top tread plate adapted to be walked upon if necessary, and furthermore, serving 4 5 as a protecting means to obviate mechanical injury to the lamps within the structure.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide a footlight structure with a protecting tread plate which may be re- .moved topermit easyaccesslto the wire con- STRUCTURE 1928. Serial No. 275,657.

taining chamber to facilitate making repairs or changes in the Wiring system.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved footlight structure having a removable tread plate and suitable mountings for lamp' sockets positioned at predetermined angles to permit a plurality of rows of white and colored lamps to be used with said lamps arranged with the colors in line or with the colors in staggeredv relation to obtain an even spread of illumif nation together with the necessary ventilation.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings'.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure l, is a transverse vertical section through an improved stage footlight structure embodying'the principles of this invention.

Figure 2, is a fragmentary vertical section of the footlight structure `taken on line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3, is a vertical section taken on line III- III of Figure l. f

Figure 4c, is a transverse section taken through a modified form of footlight structure using individual type reflectors.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral l indicates a stage with the level of said stage indicated by the reference numeral 2. 1

The front part of the stage is built or provided with a trough or recess 3 formed by meansof aninclined Wall 4, anda hori- Zontal wall or Hoon-portion 5 at the outer or deepest portion thereof. A suitable nosing 5a is provided around the front edge of the stage. Mounted in the trough 3 upon the horizontal floorfportion 5 is a sheet metal 95 angle casing Section 6 the upright flange of which is positioned toward the front of the stage directly behind the' nosing 5a.

Mounted Within the base casing section 6 WJ are a plurality of spaced'reinforcing braok ets 7 the upper arms of which are connected by means of an agle bar 8. Thevupper arms of the brackets 7 together with the angle bar 8, afford a suitable support upon which a non-slip floor or tread plate 9 isadapted to be positioned with the front edge of the tread` plate abutting against the back upper edge of the nosing as clearly illustrated in Figure 1; The tread plate 9 maybe constructed of cast-iron or steel, or other suitable material, and is of sufficient strengtlito permit the same to be walked upon without danger of damaging the same. The tread plate furthermore, affords a guard or protecting plate for the equipment mounted Vwithin the footlight structure casing or housing. l

Also mounted within the stage trough 8 1s a metal front casing section provided with a lower horizontal flanged lportion the flange of which is adapted to be secured by screws or other suitable means to the ends of the.V lower arms of the brackets 7. l The front casing section alsol consists of an 1rregular front closure plate 1l the upper margin of 'which is secured by screws'r or other suitable means to the vertical flange or the angle bar 8.

vure's V1 to 3, inclusive, furthermore vpermits The front Vclosure plate 11, is provided with two inclined strips or sections12, having suitable openings therein to afford access to'lamp sockets 13 mounted within a wiring chamber 14 formed vwithin the foot-light 'structure easing or housing between the 'cas- .ing sections. 6 and 11v and below the-tread plate 9., The wiring chamber 14is adapted to afford a. suitable enclosure for Vthe wiring system ofthe footlight structure and said chamber is readily accessible by removing the tread plate 9 so that changes and repairs may be made to the wiring system within the ychamber 14 when necessary. Maximum end on candle-powerl electric lamps 15 are adapted to'be mounted in the lamp sockets 13 at an inclined position as clearly shown in Figure 1 below the'f overhanging portion of the removable tread plate 9. The lamps 15 in the upper horizontal row project above ythe floor line 2 of the stage a slight distance so that the greater portion of the laments of said upper lamps -are positioned above'the stage floor line.

in front of colored as desired.

predetermined angle with a portion of the i bulbs projecting above the level of the stage floor and with the center of-the source of light 'of said bulbs being positioned in the plane or slightly above the plane of the stage floor. This arrangement permits the rays emanating from the lamps to produce a more even spread fordirect illumination on the stage so that the maximum lighting efficiency isobtainable. If desired the lower row of lamps may bev arranged in groups of different colors.v A further possibility afforded by the improved footlight structure is thepossible arrangement of the lamps in the two rows with the whiter and colored lamps positioned .in staggered relation.

Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of an improved footlight structure wherein a stage 16 is provided with a trough 17 having mounted therein a. metal casing or housing 18 affording a wiring chamber 19.y One wall V20ct the ,casing 18 is inclined and hasv a lplurality of lamp sockets 21 mounted on the back thereof in a row so that the wiring for 'the casing 18 afford a suitable support for mounting a metal non-slip tread plate 23 in position. Secured upon the bottom of the treadplate 23 is a longitudinally disposed angel bar 24 which is adapted to abut against the outer ends of the upper arms of the brackets 22. The tread plate 28 is of sufficient strength to permit the same to be walked upon without beingY injured, andv furthermore, serves as a protection or guard for a row of lamp reflectors '25 which are mounted in an inclined position uponV the inclined plate 2() of the casing 18. Each of the reflectors 25 has a maximum end on candle-power lamp 26 positioned therein,

and 'supported in therespective' socket connected with said reflector'. Engaged inthe outer endof each reflector 25 lis Va `colored lens 27. The lenses 27 may be white or While reflectors for Aholding lenses areshown and described in connection with the single row type of footlight structure illustrated in Figure 4, it will, of course,'be understood that lenses carrying reflectors may also be associatedk in the ,multipleVv row arrangement illustrated in Figures 1- and 2. The arrangement shown in Figurel may Y also be adapted for. uv'singone row of lamps with lreflectors andthe other 'row without, if such an arrangementshould be desired.

Ifam 'aware that. 'many' changes may be made, .and numerous. details of' construction may 'be varied through 'a wide-frange ifi Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore, do not-purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. A footlight structure including a housing, lamp sockets supported therein in an inclined position1 a tread plate removably mounted upon the top of said housing, and lamps supported in said sockets at a predetermined angle with the center of the source of light of said lamps positioned substantially in the plane of the top surface of the stage.

2. A footlight structure including a sectional housing, brackets supported therein, a tread plate mounted upon said brackets, lamp sockets mounted in a portion of said housing, and lamps engaged in said sockets.

3. The combination With a stage and the footlight trough thereof, of a sectional housing mounted in said trough and projecting thereabouts, a plurality of lamp sockets mounted in said housing at a predetermined angle with respect to the level of the stage, electric lamps supported in said sockets on the exterior of said housing and projecting above the level of the stage With the center of the source of light of said lamps substantially positioned in the plane of said stage, and a tread plate removably supported on the top of said sectional housing and projecting over said lamps to afford a shield therefor.

4. In combination, a stage and the footlight trough thereof, a housingmounted in said trough and having a Wiring chamber therein accessible through the top of said housing, means for supporting lamps on a portion of said housing in an inclined position, and a tread plate mounted on the top of sain housing to close the wiring chamber, and furthermore serving as a protect-ion for said lamps.

The combination with a stage and the footlight trough thereof, of a sectional housing mounted Wit-hin said trough and affording a Wiring chamber, brackets mounted in said housing, an angle bar secured to .said brackets, lamp sockets mounted on the interior of said housing and accessible from the exterior of said housing, lamps mounted n said socket-s and projecting into the footght trough, ano a tread plate supported on l brackets and on said angle bar to close Yl wiring chamber and project over said lamps to afford a shield therefor.

6. The combination With a stage and the footlight trough thereof, of a housing seated in said trough and comprising a base section and a front section, brackets-mounted Within said base section, lamp sockets mounted on said front section, lamps supported in said sockets and projecting into said trough, and a tread plate supported lon said brackets to close said housing and overhang said lamps to protect the same.

7. The combination with a stage and tho footlight trough thereof, of a housing seated in said trough, lamp sockets secured to said housing adapted to support the lamps on the exterior of said housing, brackets secured to said housing, and a tread plate supported on said housing and brackets in overhanging relation with respect to said lamps.

8. The combination With a stage and the footlight trough thereof, of a sectional housing seated in said trough, a tread plate supported on said housing and partially projecting over said trough, lamp sockets supported on said housing, lamps engaged in said sockets and projecting beneath the overhanging portion of said tread plate, reflectors for said lamps, and lenses supported in said reflectors to enclose the lamps.

9. The combination with a stage and the footlight trough thereof, of a housing Within said trough, brackets mounted on' said housing, a tread plate supported on said housing and on said brackets, lamp sockets Within said housing, lamps engaged in said sockets on the exterior of said housing, and reflector means supported on said housing to enclose said lamps.

10. In combination, a footlight structure including a housing and a plurality of lamps therein, and a tread plate overhanging said lamps and usable While said lamps are operating.

1l. In combination, a footlight structure including a housing and a plurality of lamp sockets therein, and a tread plate projecting over said sockets and the lamps which may be associated therewith, said tread plate being usable at all times.

l2. In a footlight structure, -a sectional housing defining a `Wiring chamber and having lamp sockets associated therewith, and a tread plate projecting over the upper portion Of said housing, the front Wall of said housing being removable with said tread plate in useful position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FRANK L. DECKER.

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